Electric-arc lamp.



No; 660,393. Patented Oct. 23, I900.

J. J. RATHBONE.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

(Application filed Feb. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Wilma ss THE Nbnms PETERS c0 9HUTO-LITNO, wasnmctcm, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOIIN JAMES RATHBONE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- TI-IIRDS TO ERIC RIVERS SMITH AND CHARLES BEAN KING, JR.,

OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAM P,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 660,393, dated October 23, 1900.

Application filed February 24, 1900. Serial No- 6,395. (No model.)

To a, whom it m/ivy concern:

Beit known that 1, JOHN JAMEs RATHBONE, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 111 Messina avenue, West Hampstead, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means and Appliances Connected with Air-Tight Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle electric-arc lamps in which the carbons are inclosed in a glass or globe and as far as possible made air- For the purpose of my invention I prepare a glass or like bottle, globe, or chimney, in the upper part of which I arrange and fix the upper carbon pencil. The neck of this bottle, globe, or chimney carries, say, a metallic tube insulated or not, as desired, from the lower carbon pencil, which is within and is guided by an inner tube or carbon-holder acting as a central core of a solenoid which is or double, desired.

surrounded by a magnet or shunt-coil, single The lowerend of this core is by a light flexible chain or wire connected to the bottom plate of the lamp, which for my purpose may serve as one of the poleplates, the socket of the upper-carbon capping or clip being the other pole. The light flexible chain or wire connection is of importance in this invention, because its flexibility permits of the lower carbon rising proportionately to the consumption without breaking the current, and the solenoid preserves the regularity of the arc distance of the carbon points. The light flexible chain or its equivalent may be used in conjunction with mercury in the base of the lamp or alone, as found necessary.

My invention is illustrated in the sectional elevations on the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an arrangement in which alight flexible connection of the lower-carbon holder with the metallic tube is employed, Fig. 2 showing a mercury connection in lieu of the flexible connection.

According to Fig. 1, the upper carbon at is fixed in an air-tight manner in a socket I), screwed into the metallic capping c, on which is mounted the terminal d. The bottle-globe e is supported and fixed air-tight between the capping c and a gallery f, forming part of the metallic tube g, which is inolosed within an outer casing h, having an enlarged portion 2' for the reception of a shunt-coil j, covered by a cap it. The lower carbon Z is fixed in a tubular carbon-holder on, serving as a central iron core which is acted upon by the shuntcoilj in proportion to the strength of the current passing through said coil, determined by the degree of resistance of the are between the carbons in the well-known manner. In Fig. 1 this tubular holder m is in electrical connection with the metallic tube g by means of a light flexible chain or wire 92 at the lower end; but in Fig. 2 the electric connection is effected by mercury 19, in which the lowercarbon holder at is supported or floats under the attraction of the electromagnet. The iron carbon-holder m has a small opening on at the base to allow the mercury or its equiva lent to slowly enter the holder and act as a dash-pot.

The path of the main circuit will be readily traced from the drawings. It passes from the terminal q and traverses tube g, chain n, (or mercury p, Fig. 2,) holder m, lower and upper carbons Z and a, socket b, and capping c to the pole or terminal (I. The shunt-circuit is from terminal q, through coilj, along wire 0' to the terminal d.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric-are lamp, the combination of a guide-tube surrounded by a shunt-coil and carrying a suitable liquid, a lower-carbon holder in the form of a central core, a solenoid arranged in said tube and partly supported by said liquid, an air-tight globe carried by said guide, an air-tight capping fitted with a screw-socket connected to the said globe and the lower-carbon holder carried by said capping.

2. In an electric-arc lamp, a lower-carbon holder in the form of a central core of a solenoid, supported in mercury and provided with an opening to permit of the mercury acting in the manner as a dash-pot, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN JAMES RATHBONE.

Witnesses:

WM. 0. BROWN, HUGH HUGHES. 

